Chettinad Group

Last updated

Chettinad Group
Company type Private
Industry Conglomerate
Founded Chennai, Tamil Nadu
1912;113 years ago (1912) [1]
Founder S. Rm. M. Annamalai Chettiar
Headquarters Anna Salai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Key people
Dr. Muthiah Ramaswamy
(Chairman)
Products Cement
Infrastructure
Logistics
Power generation
Agriculture
Education
Website www.chettinad.com www.chettinadcement.com

Chettinad Group is an Indian business conglomerate headquartered in Chennai. It was founded as the Annaamalai Chettiar Group by Annamalai Chettiar. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

History

The Chettinad Group was founded in January 1912 by Dr. Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar, who was part of the Chettiar community in Tamil Nadu. [7] In July 1962, the Chettinad Group expanded into the cement sector and launched Chettinad Cement. [8] In December 1984, after the death of M.A.M. Muthiah Chettiar, leadership passed to his nephew, M.A.M. Ramaswamy, who became the group's head. [9]

March 2011, Ennore Port (now Kamarajar Port) entered into a license agreement with Chettinad Group through a special purpose vehicle, Chettinad International Coal Terminal, for a build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme. [10]

From January 2012 to 2013 Chettinad Cement Corporation partnered with its associate company, Chettinad Power Corporation, to fund a massive supercritical thermal power project in Tamil Nadu. Chettinad Cement invested around ₹1,300 crore in equity, forming one of the group’s largest intra-group partnerships to strengthen its position in the power sector. [11]

In 2013 Chettinad Group partnered with private firms such as Breeze Enterprises, Mintra, Trans Earth Logistics, and Fossil Logistics, for logistics and coal movement. [10]

In 2020 November JSW Infrastructure acquired Chettinad Group’s port assets in 2020, signaling a major partnership and asset transfer in the Indian infrastructure sector. [12]

In August 2015, the Income Tax Department conducted extensive raids on properties linked to the Chettinad Group, reportedly uncovering unaccounted income of over ₹300 crore, which included large caches of cash and jewellery. These raids were part of a larger crackdown on alleged financial irregularities within the group. [13]

Coal Handling Scam and Asset Attachment

In July 2024, the Enforcement Directorate provisionally attached immovable properties worth over ₹298 crore belonging to South India Corporation Pvt Ltd, a Chettinad Group company, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Ac t. This action stemmed from an investigation based on a Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption FIR against former officials of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation and SICPL. [14] The probe found that a coal handling contract originally awarded for five months in 2001 continued for 19 years following repeated court injunctions, reportedly resulting in a loss of approximately ₹908 crore to TANGEDCO and a corresponding gain to SICPL. [15]

References

  1. Balachandran, Manu; Sehgal, Kunal (11 June 2015). "A father-son feud might split a 100-year-old Indian business empire worth $1.5 billion". Quartz India. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  2. Narasimhan, T E (20 June 2015). "The father, son and an unholy split within the Chettinad Group". Business Standard. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  3. "ED searches in Chennai linked to officials of TANGEDCO, SIC lead to recovery of Rs 360 crore". The Indian Express. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  4. Sivapriyan, DHNS, E. T. B. "Chettinad Group evaded tax to the tune of Rs 700 crore: I-T". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. Leena, S. Bridget (9 June 2015). "Chettinad Group patriarch disowns son, pledges assets to charity". mint. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  6. "Chettinad Group: father-son row takes an ugly turn". BusinessLine. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  7. Babu, Venkatesha (10 June 2015). "Trouble is brewing at Chettinad Group". Business Today. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  8. Standard, Business (9 September 2014). "A high-stakes family drama plays out at Chettinad group". Business Standard. Retrieved 29 October 2025.{{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  9. Standard, Business (3 December 2015). "M A M Ramaswamy: Chettinad group co-founder dies at 84". Business Standard. Retrieved 29 October 2025.{{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  10. 1 2 Chandramouli, Rajesh (6 January 2017). "Vivek Rao-Chettinad Group link under scrutiny". The Times of India. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  11. Standard, Business (11 September 2012). "Chettinad Cement to fund associate co's power project". Business News, Finance News, India News, Stock Markets BSE/NSE News, SENSEX, NIFTY, Personal Finance News. Retrieved 29 October 2025.{{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  12. "JSW acquires Chettinad's port assets". The Times of India. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  13. Dipak K Dash, Sidhartha,Surojit Gupta (17 August 2015). "I-T raids net Rs 300 crore Chettinad assets". The Times of India. Retrieved 29 October 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. The Hindu Bureau (27 July 2024). "ED attaches properties worth ₹298.21 crore of South India Corporation Limited". The Hindu. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  15. S, Venkadesan (27 July 2024). "Chennai News". The Times of India. Retrieved 29 October 2025.